


Sever the Rope

by octopus_defence



Category: DreamSMP, Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Michael my beloved, Sickfic, Snowchester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-23 18:34:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30059754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/octopus_defence/pseuds/octopus_defence
Summary: “Captain?” a small, achingly wavery voice asked. Jordan swore softly as he realized he recognized it. He wished he didn’t.“Tubbo, it’s me, yeah.”-----The spawn of this server is void of life, and the Captain is nervous for reasons he cannot explain.Miles away, his son shakes under the sheets of his bed, praying for his father.(Alt. Title: Tubbo Takes a Nap (scenes from a sickbed))
Relationships: Jordan Maron & Ranboo, Jordan Maron & Toby Smith | Tubbo, No Romantic Relationship(s), Ranboo & Toby Smith | Tubbo
Comments: 7
Kudos: 145
Collections: Completed stories I've read





	Sever the Rope

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SyverneSien](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SyverneSien/gifts).



> Sy, this one is all on you. <3
> 
> Title from Never Love an Anchor by The Crane Wives

When Jordan joined the server, he did not expect to be met with silence and the wind whistling through the trees. He wasn't too proud, he wasn’t expecting a party to be thrown in his honor or anything, but he did think there would be some sort of welcome or tour. Instead, the shadows danced under the moon and zombies growled as he picked a direction and ran, looking for any sign of life. There would be time to build a base later, when the sun was shining and there was no longer the threat of imminent demise at his back. He ignored the prickles of unease that joined it there at the lack of people. He would be fine.

\---

A few thousand blocks away, Ranboo sat next to a bed, holding a damp cloth in his hands despite the sting and looking desperately at the still figure lying there. Ponk was on his way, according to the messages on the device that was laying on the floor beside him. Ranboo didn’t care, he wasn't sure if he trusted Ponk entirely and his husband was dying right there in front of him. Beneath the cloth, Tubbo shuddered and gasped but didn't wake up. Ranboo dipped the cloth in the bowl beside him and started cooing again, trying to comfort his best friend. Michael wandered in through the door and made a questioning sound at the sight.

Ranboo looked up at his son, who looked scared and confused. "Sorry buddy, I can't help you right now. Tubbo isn't doing well right now and I need to help him instead. I did message Foolish and Techno though, and they are on their way over to take care of you." He tried to be comforting, but he couldn’t hide the waver in his voice. God, he hadn't told Techno about Tubbo or Snowchester, but honestly he couldn't think of anyone else that would be up or around at this time other than Foolish and Techno himself. When Techno arrived, a lot was at stake and Ranboo had no idea what was going to happen but that was for later. For now, Ranboo went back to mopping at his husband's forehead and ignoring the sickly red vines that crept around them both.

\---

Jordan saw a light poking over the horizon and straightened up. It was bobbing and growing by the second, soon there would be another human here who he could question about this new (at least to him) world. When the light finally crested the hill, Jordan was slightly surprised to see a face he recognized from tournaments. The legendary Technoblade was standing before him, wearing a worried look Jordan found hard to connect with the fearsome warrior he remembered. Still, it seemed Techno recognized him in return, and the piglin gestured him over as he kept up his hasty pace.

“Captain.” The greeting was gruff and blunt, but not unexpected and not unwelcome.

“Technoblade,” Jordan nodded in return. “I just arrived here, where is this place? What is this place? You’re the first person I’ve seen.”

“Welcome to the DreamSMP. I can’t give you a tour, I’m on my way somewhere.” Once again, his monotone voice was clipped and Jordan could make out the underlying anxiety beneath it.

He couldn’t help himself. “What are you doing?”

“I have to check on a kid, he sent me a message asking for my help about half an hour ago and he hasn’t responded since. I- I’m a bit worried, and I’m honestly glad I ran into you. You can help too, if need be.”

Jordan was certain he was only getting this much because Techno knew him better than most, and because he was obviously exhausted. Techno was likely running on anxiety and worry about his kid, and Jordan cringed in sympathy.

“Yeah, sure man.” Jordan owed him anyways, and he would never want to let a kid suffer. He fell into step next to Techno, following along as they made their way towards the kid that had apparently gained Technoblade’s infamous loyalty.

\---

When they arrived at the massive mansion that Techno had been directed to, Jordan was surprised to see a totem-shark man there as well, standing by the door and radiating godly energy. Techno, however, just nodded at him and pushed through the door. The god- Foolish, apparently- followed them in, and guided them to where he suspected Ranboo was. Techno let out a gasp when he walked in and Foolish took a sudden step back like he had been shocked. Jordan looked in and saw a kid, who he assumed was Ranboo, kneeling next to a bed and clutching a dripping rag. There was a figure in the bed, but he was turned from the door.

“Uh, hello! Thanks for coming, I kinda need your help,” Ranboo started speaking in a slightly desperate and very anxious tone. “I know this might be a bit of a shock to you, Techno, but please just go with me here- there is a kid who I can’t take care of right now- Foolish, he should be in his room at the moment- and you two are the only people I knew were up. Yes, I have a kid now, I’ll explain later.”

Then he caught sight of Jordan, leaning on the doorframe awkwardly in tthe background, and hesitated. “Who are you? Why are you here?”

Techno took over, recovering from his speechlessness. “This is Captain Sparklez, he just arrived and I ran into him when I was on my way over. Whoever invited him didn’t show up at spawn, so I figured I’d give the guy a hand because I know him. He’s cool. Now what are you doing with the  _ government _ ,” he spat the word like it was dirty, “and why did you need me?”

There was a groan from the bed, then, and Ranboo didn’t answer Techno’s question in favor of leaning down and whispering to whoever he was taking care of.

“Captain?” a small, achingly wavery voice asked. Jordan swore softly as he realized he recognized it. He wished he didn’t.

“Tubbo, it’s me, yeah.”

Ranboo stepped away from the bed as Jordan made his way to his son’s side. His eyes glanced at the firework-shaped scars that covered half of Tubbo’s face and neck and wondered what he had missed, how much he had failed his son- his blessing. His hands shook as he pushed the damp hair back from his son’s forehead.

“What’s wrong, kiddo?” he asked, in as soft a voice he could get without whispering. In the background, he could vaguely see Foolish gently tugging Techno from the room.

“Hurts, a lot,” his son- his  _ son _ , who he hadn’t seen in months- whimpered under the blanket.

“Shhh, shhh, it’s okay,” Jordan hushed, and he wished he had come sooner. Fuck him for leaving his child alone to get hurt while he was off galavanting around doing whatever the fuck he had been doing instead of being there to protect Tubbo. 

Tubbo’s hand reached up from under the blankets and grabbed his, and Jordan noticed the golden ring on his left ring finger. “Who is this from?” he asked, hoping to keep Tubbo awake.

Tubbo didn’t answer, just hummed and gripped his hand tighter. Ranboo, however, shifted and showed his own matching ring. 

“You got married, then?” Jordan held back a chuckle.

“It’s palentolic,” Tubbo added from the bed.

“Platonic,” Ranboo corrected with a small grin. “Yeah we did, Mr Captain Sparklez, sir.”

“Well then, you should just call me Jordan then. You’re my son-in-law now.”

“What the-” Ranboo was cut off by the unholy scream of an enderman, which sent Jordan to his feet and reaching for his bow before he realized that Ranboo was in fact making that sound. Well, that explained the purple particles and the black scales then. Tubbo started screeching with laughter on the bed before dissolving into pained coughs and wheezes, which shut Ranboo’s exaggerated freak-out down and set him back into doctor-mode.

“Hey, hey, settle down. Breathe with me- in, two, three, four, now hold, two, three, four, and exhale, two, three, four. C’mon, Tubbo.”

Jordan shifted in place as he watched Ranboo coach Jordan’s son-  _ Tubbo, who he thought he had lost for good _ \- back to somewhat-steady breaths, a black hand petting Tubbo’s hair and absently running over the horns like Jordan used to do. Slowly, Tubbo’s breathing steadied and returned to the weak but constant state it had been before the laughing fit. He fell back into restless sleep, tossing and turning under the sheets.

There was a sudden bang and clattering from the hallway, followed by the distinctive cries of a baby zombified piglin, and Ranboo shot Jordan a pleading look before sprinting into the hallway. Why he didn’t just teleport, Jordan didn’t know, but that was a question for later. Right now, Tubbo was lying in front of him, shaking and obviously hurt. Jordan wasn’t a doctor, but he could tell Tubbo was not doing well, and was not going to be improving quickly without some sort of miracle. Unfortunately, they had left the Realm of Mianite long behind them, and with it, the one place where Jordan had any sort of sway over miracles.

Still he found himself praying. His whispers weren’t addressed to his Lady, nor to either of her brothers, gods though they might be. Instead the desperate pleas were directed to the boy right in front of him.

“Tubbo- I’m so damn sorry. I messed up and I wasn’t here for you. I’m your dad, I’m supposed to protect you! To keep you safe and help you grow and walk you down the aisle and all that carp! Instead you had to do it yourself, I guess, unless there is someone who should be here that isn’t. That’s my fault, that’s on me. I had the whole champion thing, sure, but I knew better and I should have done better. I failed you…” and Jordan broke.

He had been off galavanting around and playing hero while his son was on his own. Tubbo had the scars that people only got from incredibly traumatic deaths, the type that would take months to get to the point they were at now, and Jordan hadn’t seen them ever. Now his son was dying on the cot in front of him, and he didn’t know what to do. Ranboo, another kid, was far more help than he was, and it was yet another thing showing how much he had missed.

“Tubbo, I know it hurts a lot and I know you’re probably in a lot of agony right now but kid…” he trailed off, unsure of what he even meant. “Kid, I’m going to need you to get better. Not for me, because you don’t owe me shit, but Ranboo is waiting for you, and so is your kid. Tubbo, I need you to get better for Ranboo. He cares about you so much, and I know you care for him too, just please-” his desperate begging was cut off by the tears rolling down his face and the door opening. A man in a bright red ski mask pushed him out of the way gently but firmly and opened up a white medical bag.

“Oh Tubbo, what have you done to yourself now…” the doctor whispered under his breath. “Kiddo, this is bad.” He turned to Jordan, who had cleaned off his sunglasses and was wiping the rest of his face on his coat, and gestured to himself. “I’m Ponk, and I guess you’re Tubbo’s dad? Sparklez, right?”

Jordan nodded, and Ponk swallowed before continuing. “Yeah, I’m gonna be honest, he’s not doing great. Just from what I’m seeing right now, this is rough. He’s been through some shit, man. But!” Ponk’s voice suddenly took on a slightly artificial enthusiasm, “Tubbo’s tough, he’s been in a bad spot before and he came out alright from them. We gotta have some faith.”

Jordan didn’t comment on how Ponk seemed to be trying to convince himself just as much as Jordan. It seemed rude to mention the desperation under all the words, so he just nodded again. “Well, I’m gonna talk with Ranboob for a bit, try and figure out some more of the situation, if you feel me. Maybe continue what you were saying? I don’t want to have interrupted anything big.” There was an underlying message of “this might be the last chance you get to say this to him, so take it” that Jordan was glad Ponk didn’t actually say out loud. Instead he nodded yet again, unable to speak at risk of spilling his guts to someone he met minutes before, and watched as the doctor left the room once more.

What did he say after that, after the doctor came in and basically confirmed all his worst fears?

  
  
  


“Please, Tubbo. Please wake up.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you recognize this, hello fellow Nerf House members. If you're not one and you recognize this, please don't hold that against me, and also I am so sorry for you.
> 
> It's not bad if you're copying from yourself, right?
> 
> My tumblr is @octopus-defence-squad, and my twitter is @octopus-defence  
> feel free to stop by and say hi!


End file.
